Myanmar tensions far from over as UN chief slams junta's deadly crackdown

The United Nations has censured Myanmar’s military junta over a deadly crackdown on anti-coup protesters in the country.

The condemnation by UN chief Antonio Guterres came after Myanmar’s security forces used live ammunition on Saturday to disperse protesters demanding the return of ousted de facto leader Aung Sun Suu Kyi, who was arrested in a coup on February 1.

Volunteer emergency services said two people were killed and at least 20 others injured in Myanmar’s second-largest city and cultural capital, Mandalay, marking the deadliest day in more than two weeks of nationwide street demonstrations.

"The use of lethal force, intimidation & harassment against peaceful demonstrators is unacceptable," Guterres said in a statement.

The violence on Saturday erupted when security forces in Mandalay attempted to raid a shipyard and detain port staff who were staging a strike.

Local media reports said the forces used live rounds and rubber bullets against a crowd of people who had started flinging rocks in an effort to stop the arrests.

“Twenty people were injured and two are dead,” said Ko Aung, a leader of the Parahita Darhi volunteer emergency service agency in the city.

“One shot in the head died at the spot. Another one died later with a bullet wound to the chest,” said a volunteer doctor. 

Two more people shot dead at Myanmar anti-coup protests

Protesters demand the restoration of the elected government and the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders.

A graphic video circulated on Facebook showing a teenager, splayed on the ground and bleeding from his head as a bystander placed a hand on his chest to feel for a heartbeat.

UN Special Rapporteur for Myanmar Tom Andrews said he was horrified by the violence and called for an end to the deadly crackdown.

“From water cannons to rubber bullets to tear gas and now hardened troops firing point blank at peaceful protesters. This madness must end,” he said on Twitter.

Protesters have over the past weeks been demanding the restoration of the elected government and the release of Suu Kyi and other political leaders.

The junta has come under pressure by the international community to hand over power to civilians and release the officials, but the military has defied the calls, deploying armored vehicles and soldiers in some major cities to crack down on protests.

People stage big show of opposition to coup in Myanmar

People take to the streets in force in Myanmar’s largest city of Yangon to protest the recent military coup and the detention of civilian leaders in the Southeast Asian country.

Three protesters have been killed and over 520 people detained since February 1 across Myanmar, according to the country’s Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

European Union foreign ministers are scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss their own measures against the regime.

Famous actor detained; Facebook deletes military's main page

Myanmar’s towns were the scene of protests on Sunday with tens of thousands of people gathering to condemn the military takeover.

Police were said to have arrested Lu Min, a famous Myanmarese actor, for supporting opposition to the coup and taking part in several protests in the city of Yangon.

The actor was one of the six celebrities whom the army said were wanted under an anti-incitement law for encouraging civil servants to join the protest. The charges can carry a two-year prison sentence.

Min's wife, Khin Sabai Oo, said in a video posted on his Facebook page that police had come to their home in Yangon and taken him away.

Facebook deleted on Sunday the main page of the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, under its standards prohibiting incitement of violence.

“In line with our global policies, we’ve removed the Tatmadaw True News Information Team Page from Facebook for repeated violations of our Community Standards prohibiting incitement of violence and coordinating harm,” a Facebook representative said in a statement.

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